It's a fascinating dynamic to me. Nobody is chopping at my hands while I work the keyboard hoping they can mess up my story. Nobody is running into your office and knocking you out of your chair. Nobody is challenging you to a fight when you punch the timeclock.
We probably all have some sort of competition, but it's more of a golf environment -- we're trying to do our best, they're trying to do their best, and the winner gets more money. Very gentlemanly.
But that's not hockey. No, you have to go find a way to look good while somebody else is trying to make you look bad.
And that's not your only worry. You signed a contract that makes you the property of the team. If they want to trade you (depending on your leverage), they can. If they want to put you on waivers, you can end up in Buffalo (Hey, Remi). Sometimes, that's a good thing. Sometimes, that's exactly what you need in your job (Howdy, Patrik). But it's still an odd way to live your life.
Mattias Janmark was all set to play in Sweden three years ago, and the Stars decided to start him in the NHL. His dad had to go move him out of his apartment in Sweden and help get his stuff to Texas. That's different than what most of us deal with.
On the flip side, Nick Ritchie still can't find the compromise that will put him back in uniform for a team that really needs him. That's different than what most of us have to deal with.
As we head to Ottawa, the story of Jason Spezza also fascinates me. I went to his house when he was 15 and did a story on "The Next Gretzky." Think about that -- he's lived with that since before he could drive. Now, at age 35, he's trying to squeeze some of that potential out of a body that's 20 years older in a league filled with 20-year-olds.
Last season, he dealt with a change in coaches and styles that didn't fit his game. It wasn't something he asked for, but something his employer decided would be best for the company. And that changed how he viewed his job. That changed how he dealt every day with his own life.